Both coaches face the same dilemma.
Start their best pitcher against what likely is a fierce competitor in a game for the No. 1 seed to state? Or save the ace, so in the event of a loss he is available for a loser-out, winner-to-state game later that day?
That’s the decision Central Kitsap High School coach Bill Baxter and Puyallup High School coach Marc Wiese must make before their teams play at 11 a.m. Saturday at Kent Memorial Park in a match-up for the top seed to the Class 4A state baseball tournament.
“I’m just not exactly sure which way we are going to go,” Baxter said Tuesday of whether he will start senior standout Drew Vettleson against the Vikings, who are ranked No. 1 in the state in some polls and defeated the Cougars 12-0 earlier this season.
Baxter is in an interesting predicament because it’s not a must-win game for his team. By virtue of their No. 3 seed, the Cougars would play another game at 5 p.m. Saturday in the event of a loss. It would be a loser-out contest against South Kitsap High School or Emerald Ridge High School — weaker opponents based on win-loss records and rankings — for the No. 4 seed to state.
If Vettleson doesn’t start against Puyallup, then Baxter would turn to one of many young arms. Those options include a trio of sophomores — Nathan Reece, Jonathon Fergus and Josh Sontag, who in a start against the Vikings March 15 allowed seven earned runs in 1 1/3 innings.
“On one line I want to go to battle and beat these guys,” Baxter said. “But on the other line I want to play it safe.”
Meanwhile, Wiese is in a similar predicament.
Wiese could start ace Scott Kuzminsky, who is 7-0 with a 1.68 ERA, or he could to turn to a pitcher of less stature. Wiese said the most likely option is Sal Arena, who has pitched four innings the entire season.
“The big issue is just finding a way to get into the state tournament,” said Wiese, who also had yet to make a decision Tuesday.
Regardless of who pitches for both teams, Baxter is thrilled with the Cougars’ situation.
Central Kitsap lost seven of nine starters from the 2009 club, which was eliminated in the first round of the state tournament, and entered the season with a combined 18 freshmen and sophomores in the program. Many of the 17 juniors and seniors had little-to-no varsity experience.
Yet here are the Cougars, playing for a spot into the tournament for which all coaches and players strive to qualify. And they have two chances to get there.
“I would have said you’re probably crazy,” Baxter said of predicting this scenario. “We’ve kind of played ourselves into a good position.”
To play into an even better position, Baxter believes the team must put together a complete game against Puyallup — hit well, pitch well and play mistake-free defense, a combination the Cougars have yet to find this season.
Puyallup (19-2) is the South Puget Sound League champion. The Vikings feature eight players who have at least 15 RBI, including the .608-hitting Arena, who leads the team with four home runs and 26 RBI.
Also aggressive on the base paths, the Vikings have 94 stolen bases in 105 attempts compared to Central Kitsap’s 21 in 30 tries. They have advanced to the state tournament four of the past five seasons, finishing second in 2009.
“Even though we have a tough draw, the kids are feeling confident,” Baxter said. “We’re not going to walk in like a deer in the headlights.”
One reason for that is because the Cougars have a star in Vettleson, the team’s leading hitter and pitcher who has more postseason experience than any of his teammates other than fellow senior Tyler Baumgartner.
Getting to the state tournament would be the ultimate conclusion to a remarkable career for Vettleson, who has committed to Oregon State University and is projected to be drafted in the Major League Draft next month.
“In 15 years of coaching I haven’t seen very many players with his type of ability,” Wiese said.
Vettleson said he has no preference as to whether he pitches against Puyallup or in the potential second game.
He acknowledged the team would be proud to earn a No. 1 seed, but also said there might be more to prove as a No. 4.
No matter, he believes the team is playing well and is capable of beating anybody.
“I can see the confidence rising,” Vettleson said. “We are just going to play the best baseball we possibly can, and if we play our best, I think we have a chance to beat any team in the state.”
Class 4A West Central District III Tournament
Puyallup High School vs. Central Kitsap High School
11 a.m. Saturday, Kent Memorial Park
What’s at stake: The Puyallup-Central Kitsap winner earns a No. 1 seed to the state tournament, while the loser plays a loser-out game against either South Kitsap High School or Emerald Ridge High School at 5 p.m. Saturday. The winner of that game advances to state as a No. 4 seed.
Puyallup Vikings (19-2)
Coach: Marc Wiese, 15th season
League: South Puget Sound, North Division (No. 1 seed)
Key wins: Central Kitsap, 12-0, March 15; Rogers High School, 6-4, April 1; Kentwood High School, 10-6, May 8.
Key losses: Timberline High School, 8-7, March 19; and Rogers, 11-4, April 13.
Big bat: Sal Arena — .608 avg., 4 HR and 26 RBI.
Strong arm: Scott Kuzminsky — 7-0, 1.68 ERA, 66 K and 14 BB.
Central Kitsap Cougars (15-7)
Coach: Bill Baxter, 17th season
League: Narrows, Bay Division (No. 3 seed)
Key wins: Stadium High School, 2-1, May 7; and South Kitsap High School, 7-6, May 8.
Key losses: Puyallup, 12-0, March 15; Olympia High School, 6-3 April 14 and 6-1 April 12; and South Kitsap, 5-4, April 23.
Big bats: Drew Vettleson — .490 avg., 7 HR and 29 RBI. Tyler Baumgartner — .468 avg., 4 HR and 28 RBI.
Strong arm: Vettleson — 3-2, 1.35 ERA, 71 K and 32 BB.
Did you know?
Some baseball polls have Puyallup ranked No. 1 in the state among 4A teams. The Vikings finished second in the state tournament in 2009, losing in the finals to Richland High School, 4-3. Puyallup defeated Kentwood last week in the South Puget Sound League championship after previously going 0-8 in title games.
Central Kitsap has advanced to state three consecutive seasons, but the team is 1-3 in those games and has been outscored 35-20. The Cougars won two consecutive games by one run to advance to districts, defeating Stadium High School 2-1 and South Kitsap 7-6.
Around the area
Bremerton High School defeated Klahowya Secondary School 6-5 in eight innings Monday in the season finale for both teams.
The Knights finished with a 3-16 record under first-year coach Rob Tomlinson, while Klahowya struggled to a 6-13 record after advancing to the Class 2A state tournament in 2009.
